Theft / Receiving

Theft / Receiving

A person may be found guilty of an offence if they have handled property without the consent of its owner and with an intention to not return it, either permanently or for a period of time legally deemed to encroach their rights.

Breaches of these rights may occur when a person treats someone else’s property as their own. For example, dispose of it or act in a way that will see it impossible for the item to be returned in its original condition or value.

Common forms may be shoplifting, burglary (entering someone’s property with the goal to remove goods), and purchasing an item knowing it has questionable origins and at a lower-than-expected value.

Maximum penalties vary depending on the offence:

• For a basic offence, 10 years in prison
• For an aggravated offence, 15 years in prison